Buzzing with New Ideas

Buzzing with New Ideas
3/8/07 at 3:47:09 PM

Jen Endres, Academic Adviser
Health & Natural Sciences Student Community

The "In & Out of CLASS" conference left the HNS advisers buzzing about the new ideas, not least of which it got us thinking about how we could incorporate writing and reflecting into a student's undergraduate career.

We agree with Rebecca Rassier that it is a great benefit to IDIM students that they are given an opportunity to reflect on why they are choosing the concentration areas that they are, and even why they choose specific courses. It is immeasurably helpful to think about how all the pieces of your education fit together (and therefore what pieces might be missing to make the picture more complete).

With this in mind, we have been brainstorming. Feel free to add your ideas, or just give feedback. We're very early in this process, but we're very excited about its potential!

We feel that a crucial time for students to reflect is when choosing a major. Given we cannot require departments to include a writing and reflection component prior to major declaration (though many do...) we have begun to think about how this can be done in house. So when students drop off their Major Declaration Form, we (at the front desk) will give them a piece of paper describing a short writing opportunity. We guide the students through the reflection with some framing questions and thoughts, and ask them to write 250-500 words about why they chose this major, what skills they hope their major will help them hone (or develop), and how this major fits into the greater framework of their career and life goals (or how it will help them to develop life goals!). It is a struggle to get students to realize there is much more to be gained from, say, a Physiology degree than simply fulfilling the pre-med requirements. It will serve the students well to spend some time to think about this.

Giving a week to email their adviser with this information (though by no means overtly stating this is mandatory), we hope they will spend some time, as the IDIM students do, thinking about the courses they will take and how it will help them in their future. Perhaps this will help them enjoy their last two years at the University; hopefully it will help them explore extracurricular opportunities, and we are sure it will help them begin thinking about how they will frame their educations when speaking with future employers.

When we receive the email from the student, we will likely send a pre-set email response thanking them for the reflection, letting them know we will use the information in future appointments (making balance sheet appointments more advising-as-teaching!), and inviting them in for their first balance sheet appointment. Hopefully this will also facilitate more interaction with those juniors and seniors by setting some expectations early on.

We hope to begin this project soon, at least on a pilot basis. We'll do some tracking to see how many students take advantage of the opportunity and what types of responses we receive.

Is anyone already doing something similar? Does anyone want to brainstorm with us on this project? We're open to ideas!

On an entirely unrelated note, the "Alternative Health Careers" panel is coming up on April 10th. Come one come all!

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